Where There is Shouting, Let me Whisper Truth

If there are many us, thousands, in fact, and we all shout at once, does that mean that now we own the truth?

When people shout at us, we’re tempted to shout back. Shouting feels powerful and we want to match our opposition power to power. Which would be fine if our call was to wage war as the world does.

But, it’s not.

Our call is to be like Christ. Our call, loved ones, as Paul cautioned us, is to “be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” (Colossians 4:5)

This week, women who are vehemently pro-choice are “shouting” their abortions through social media. It would be natural to shout back. To try to shout over them. To attempt to shout them down. To sarcastically or smugly match their shouts with counter-shouts. To loudly condemn them as shouters and shout our faith back in their faces.

That doesn’t sound like Jesus to me.

Jesus stood facing Pilate in the hours before His crucifixion. I’m sure He could hear the shouts of the crowd. “Crucify Him. Crucify Him.”

Now, Jesus’ voice is like the “roar of many waters.” He created the wind and waves, fire, tornadoes, hurricanes, and volcanic explosions. If shouting makes a person right, if shouting wins the day, if shouting proved the point, He’d have shouted the crowd to smithereens.

Instead, He stood silent before His captors. He answered Pilate simply, quietly, and with a calm that displayed true strength.

There’s a story in 1 Kings 19: 11b-12 about Elijah meeting with God. As Elijah waited for Him, this is what transpired: “And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.”

God was in the whisper.

Truth doesn’t have to shout. Righteousness can be found in a whisper. God can quietly reign.

It’s tempting to shout back.

Jesus was always presented with temptations to use the weapons of this world. Satan and the Pharisees came at Him a thousand different ways trying to rattle His cage enough to get Him to fight on their field.

He stood strong and in that quiet stand demonstrated how true power conducts itself. It doesn’t fall for strength-draining diversions, it doesn’t walk into set ups, it doesn’t let the enemy determine its agenda.

In the face of women shouting their abortions today, I thought about the prayer of Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

And I thought, where there is shouting, let me whisper truth.

There is no light at the end of the abortion tunnel even when people march that way with singing, shouting, bright lights, celebrities, politicians, crowds of company, and catchy hashtags. Abortion leads to death and death is nothing to shout about – ever.

But, we are called to be wise in the way we act. We do not follow a shouting God. He doesn’t have to. His truth stands strong in the whisper.

Choose life, she whispered, and those seeking truth heard it loud and clear.

Jesus said to Pilate, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it WERE, My people would fight.’ God does NOT need us to pick up arms to defend Him, nor does He need us to shout down our Enemy. Love is the Answer–Love will win the argument every time. I pray wisdom for those earnest people who feel arguing and fighting MAY win their cause. Wise prayer followed with wise words and actions is always correct.

When confronted with hate from the other camp, I would have liked to respond:
We would recoil in horror to hear of someone forcing a mother cat to abort her living unborn kittens so they could be cut up and their body parts be used for research. How have mothers, some from every political persuasion, bought into this lie that it is acceptable to have millions of our own children be treated in this way?
My fear is that my silence sounds to them like I condone such actions. Lord Jesus, open their eyes and give them ears to hear the truth.

Releases 2/19/19!

Hard Conversations: Topics

Blog Archives

Blog Archives

AVAILABLE NOW!

Available for purchase wherever fine books are sold

My Christmas Novella

Top 100 Christian Blogs 2015

Honored to Be Recognized

Awesome Reader Comment!

Lori,
Our Lord never ceases to amaze.. you have succeeded in disturbing this Hobbit! I have been struggling with spiritual apathy and indifference recently and reading your witty, convicting, engaging, infuriating writings has helped me to realize that I am in good company. They have also given me the kick-start I need to get off my laurels! Keep looking up..keep going on for the Lord dear sister-in-Christ!